Read More

"We can’t make judgements on players or assess them when they are in the treatment room. It will probably be hurting him more than hurting me.

“Because as much as we want him back in the group, and want to get to work with him, it is difficult when you are an injured player at the best of times, and when a new manager comes in and everyone else is getting his attention and he is stuck in the treatment room so we have to be careful.

“He will be fit when he is fit. We can’t take any chances with him and he can’t take any chances. We need him back on the grass only when it is safe.

“It is better to wait two or three days instead of rushing it and setting it back two or three weeks. Because when he is back fit we want him fit for the rest of the season.”

Read More

Heckingbottom had more positive news on Thomas Agyepong, who is nearing a return after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

He added: “He’s working on fitness and conditioning and he is pushing towards the back end now and we just need to make sure he is fit to see out a while game and the last the minutes.

“It is another difficult one and he will be frustrated but the process was ongoing before I came in and if was to rip that up and the lad gets injured or does more damage then I will have undone a lot of other people‘s hard work.

“So we will make sure is happy that he is at a level he needs to be before we try to get him back in the pitch or at least consider him for a place on the pitch.”